


we keep getting it wrong until we get it right

by Hellokaelyn



Category: NCIS
Genre: F/M, sometime in 17x02
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-27
Updated: 2019-09-27
Packaged: 2020-10-29 00:09:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20787332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hellokaelyn/pseuds/Hellokaelyn
Summary: a little fic based on that quick fight scene snapshot we got between Nick/Ziva. obviously I dont know whats happening so this is NOT my prediction for it or anything.





	we keep getting it wrong until we get it right

**Author's Note:**

> a little fic based on that quick fight scene snapshot we got between Nick/Ziva. obviously I dont know whats happening so this is NOT my prediction for it or anything.

Nick stopped where he was, looking around the corner to spot her half hidden as she inspected the area around her.   
  
He slipped out his phone lifting it to his ear. "I found her."  
  
_"We'll be right there Torres-"_ McGee's voice, slightly rushed sounding as if he was running, probably towards the car. _"Don't lose her."_  
  
"I'm going, McGee."  
  
_"What?! Don't-"_  
  
"You know we'll lose her again if I don't!" Nick harshly said keeping his voice low.  
  
_"Ziva is desperate, Torres! You haven't seen her fight-"_  
  
_"Nick!"_ Ellie's voice interrupted and Nick shut his eyes for a second. There was a slight panicked edge to her tone that he tried so hard to ignore._ "Just wait for us!"_  
  
"I'm sorry..but I can't let her get away again. We can't afford that."  
  
Nick hung up.   
  
He knew if he didn't do something, Ziva would run off again to finish what she started. They all knew she wasn't really working for Sahar, but sometimes the best way to take down your enemy was to get inside and gain their trust. That didn't mean Ziva wasn't a danger to them.  
  
And that's why Nick had to act.  
  
Ziva's desire to get rid of Sahar meant they were in danger, as her network was much deeper than they realized. Her desperateness to end the other woman and get back to Tony and Tali had the potential to get them all killed.   
  
Nick could tell she realized he was there before he even reached her.  
  
"What are you doing here?"   
  
"Keeping you from doing something you'll regret."  
  
Ziva scoffed. "I will not regret any of this, she must die-"  
  
"I know you won't regret this Ziva." Nick cut her off. "I'm talking about what happens to everyone else, you're not thinking about the fact that there's more than just Sahar! She has a whole network Ziva and what happens when you kill her and they react!"   
  
"I will kill them all too if that is what it takes to get back to them!" Ziva turned towards him, anger and that seemed to be permanent wild desperateness in her eyes.   
  
"Ziva-"  
  
She reacted. Nick ducked just as her fist came flying towards him.   
  
_If that's what he had to do.._  
  
Nick blocked another hit, sending his own right back.  
  


* * *

  
  
Time seemed to move slowly as they fought and Nick knew in the back of his mind McGee and Ellie would be there any minute. He just had to keep her here.   
  
When it came to fighting, they were pretty evenly matched. Ziva may have had her Mossad training, but Nick had his own. You didn't survive for years deep undercover without learning from the best, Ziva wasn't the first one with that type of training that he's met.   
  
Both had new bruises, some of their blood transferring to the others clothes or skin for the times one of them weren't able to block or dodge a hit.   
  
Nick grunted as Ziva wrapped her arm around his neck from behind.   
  
It was only more proof that she wasn't the enemy when she didn't apply enough pressure to either knock him out, or even kill him like he knew she could.   
  
"Just give up Nick!" Ziva said breathing heavily, just like he was himself. "Leave so I can do this!"  
  
His heart clenched at the pain in her voice but he kicked out his leg and twisted out of her hold, Ziva stumbled from his kick but righted herself in seconds.   
  
"Think Ziva!" Nick shouted. "If you do this her network will come after the first targets within reach to get revenge! That means Gibbs who you think of like a father! McGee who is like your brother and has a wife and kids of his own at home! Ellie who had kept your secret despite not even knowing you, who believed in you from the start of this!"   
  
Ziva faltered for a second, a flash of recognition going through her eyes. "You may be doing this to try and protect Gibbs and McGee..but you are really fighting me in an effort to stop me for her, aren't you?"  
  
"I'm doing this for _my_ own family." Nick said through clenched teeth ignoring the pain it sent through his bruised jaw.   
  
"You're doing this for Ellie. To keep her safe."  
  
A screech of tires saved Nick from having to answer as McGee and Ellie jumped out of the car in seconds.  
  
Ziva chuckled. "It looks like your stalling tactic worked."  
  


* * *

  
Hours later Nick sat on a table in autopsy, Ellie standing between his legs as she cleaned the cuts on his face.   
  
He showed no reaction other than a small twitch every now and then.   
  
"That was stupid, you know." Ellie mumbled, lowering her arm when she finally finished. She didn't step away.  
  
"I had my reasons."   
  
"To stall her, I know. Doesn't mean it wasn't stupid Nick."   
  
"There was another reason..I just didn't realize it completely until Ziva said it out loud." Nick looked into her eyes, eyes that had seemed so guarded for weeks, and now he knew why.   
  
"What possible other reason could you have for fighting Ziva?" Ellie let out a small laugh of disbelief.  
  
"If Ziva went through with it..you know what that could mean, we've been through everything we could find on the people working for her-"  
  
Ellie nodded but still looked confused. "Okay..so you were trying to protect us but we're trained agents-"  
  
"I was protecting _you_." Nick interrupted, voice rising. "I wanted to keep you safe Ellie, 'cause if I didn't do what I could to stop something from happening.."  
  
"Nick.." Ellie breathed out, sounding as if the air got knocked out of her. It was obvious she hadn't expected him to be thinking like that, let alone voice it out loud.  
  
"I'm still angry Ellie..hurt and angry, but you're still my best friend, you're still.."  
  
"Still what?" She whispered, eyes a little wide.  
  
The air in the cold empty autopsy became thick with tension and longed anticipation.   
  
"You're still the woman I unexpectedly and frustratingly fell for." Nick finally admitted with a shake of his head, like he still couldn't believe it. "No matter how I feel about what you said..those feelings haven't changed."   
  
Ellie opened her mouth to respond but closed it as she was at a loss of words, and that rarely happened. She decided to just _show_ him instead when the words wouldn't form.  
  
She kissed him. She stepped closer to him until their bodies were centimeters from touching, placed a hand on the back of his neck, and kissed him.   
  
Nick felt an explosion of different feelings inside as he kissed back, the long wait for this moment easily turning the simple sweet kiss into something passionate and almost desperate. Nick gripped her waist with one hand to pull her even closer, the other sliding into her hair in a tight grip. Ellie made a small satisfied noise at the action that almost sounded like a purr (he'd make fun of her for it later for sure), her own hands gripping at any part of him she could reach.   
  
When they pulled away to breathe, foreheads pressed together as they breathed heavily, both of them sported large smiles as they stared into each others eyes.   
  
"We just had our first real kiss in autopsy of all places.." Ellie mumbled.  
  
Nick pulled away with a snap, mouth dropping open slightly as a loud laugh slipped out. Ellie's laugh soon mixing with his own.   
  
There were still things to be solved between them, but both of them knew without saying a word about it that in the end..they'd be okay, because they'd be _together_. 


End file.
